Non-commissioned officers are maintainers of strong performance
The Defence Forces employs more than 3,000 non-commissioned officers (NCOs) in various fields. We invest strongly in the training of NCOs.
During your NCO career, you will advance on the training path of your field from basic-level studies all the way up to master’s level study modules. As your competence increases, you will have the opportunity to move on to more demanding tasks in the Defence Forces.
What is required of an NCO?
- Completed upper secondary education qualification
- Reserve officer or non-commissioned officer training
- Good physical condition (running test)
- Finnish citizenship
- General eligibility for public service
How to become an NCO?
You can apply for an NCO position through the valtiolle.fi service. The career of an NCO begins with a maximum five-year fixed-term period, after which a permanent position may be offered. For many, the path towards becoming an NCO begins directly after military service with contractual military personnel duties, which typically last for 6–12 months.
How high is the salary?
The salary of an NCO is determined according to the complexity of the task. You can find the wage scales here (pdf in Finnish). In addition to basic pay, in certain tasks you earn length-of-service bonuses and compensation for military exercises, which significantly increase the level of earnings.
Examples of NCO tasks
- Instructor NCO
- Military Police NCO
- Musician NCO
- Systems NCO
- Situation picture NCO
- Aircraft Maintenance NCO
- Transport NCO
- Naval NCO
As Finland joined NATO, there are also many NCOs working in international positions.